Chef Robert Irvine, left, chats with his friend and fellow military supporter Gary Sinise on stage at Invincible Spirit Festival on Fort Belvoir, May 25. 

Celebrity philanthropists bring invincible spirit to Fort Belvoir

Gary Sinise has a busy Memorial Day weekend ahead of him. The 68-year-old actor, musician, military supporter and philanthropist is in town for several events, including a sold-out “Welcome Home Celebration of Service” for Vietnam Veterans May 26 at Constitution Hall where he’s performing with his Lt. Dan Band, and the National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, which he’s co-hosting May 28 with actor Joe Mantegna.

First, however, Sinise came to Fort Belvoir May 25 to perform with his band in the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Invincible Spirit Festival, hosted by the USO at Long Parade Field. The festival, founded in 2012, is designed to celebrate and honor the efforts of recovering service members, veterans from conflicts past and present, and the medical staff and family members who care for them. Accompanying Sinise was his good friend of more than 10 years, Robert Irvine, the chef, author and entrepreneur who’s also a military supporter and philanthropist. Irvine prepares meals for festival attendees while Sinise entertains them, playing bass with his cover band.

Gary Sinise has a busy Memorial Day weekend ahead of him. The 68-year-old actor, musician, military supporter and philanthropist is in town for several events, including a sold-out “Welcome Home Celebration of Service” for Vietnam Veterans May 26 at Constitution Hall where he’s performing with his Lt. Dan Band, and the National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, which he’s co-hosting May 28 with actor Joe Mantegna.

First, however, Sinise came to Fort Belvoir May 25 to perform with his band in the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Invincible Spirit Festival, hosted by the USO at Long Parade Field. The festival, founded in 2012, is designed to celebrate and honor the efforts of recovering service members, veterans from conflicts past and present, and the medical staff and family members who care for them. Accompanying Sinise was his good friend of more than 10 years, Robert Irvine, the chef, author and entrepreneur who’s also a military supporter and philanthropist. Irvine prepares meals for festival attendees while Sinise entertains them, playing bass with his cover band.

Irvine was full of effusive praise for his friend and partner in philanthropy.

“This is his life,” said Irvine. “This is what he does for other people … This is the modern-day Bob Hope.”

Like Hope, Sinise has participated in many USO tours in support of the troops and described his performances with the Lt. Dan Band as a “variety show” covering a range of hits. His favorite song? “Shut up and Dance.”

And that’s exactly what the crowds did for the next several hours at Fort Belvoir.

by Erika Christ, On the MoVe